I only like two other things; one is bad for my work and the other is over in half an hour or fifteen minutes.
Sometimes less."
"Sometimes a good deal less."
"Perhaps I have improved, baby.
You do not know.
But there are only the two things and my work."
"You'll get other things."
"No.
We never get anything.
We are born with all we have and we never learn.
We never get anything new.
We all start complete.
You should be glad not to be a Latin."
"There's no such thing as a Latin.
That is 'Latin' thinking.
You are so proud of your defects."
Rinaldi looked up and laughed.
"We'll stop, baby.
I am tired from thinking so much." He had looked tired when he came in. "It's nearly time to eat.
I'm glad you're back.
You are my best friend and my war brother."
"When do the war brothers eat?" I asked.
"Right away.
We'll drink once more for your liver's sake."
"Like Saint Paul."
"You are inaccurate.
That was wine and the stomach.
Take a little wine for your stomach's sake."
"Whatever you have in the bottle," I said. "For any sake you mention."
"To your girl," Rinaldi said.
He held out his glass.
"All right."
"I'll never say a dirty thing about her."
"Don't strain yourself."
He drank off the cognac.
"I am pure," he said. "I am like you, baby.
I will get an English girl too.
As a matter of fact I knew your girl first but she was a little tall for me.
A tall girl for a sister," he quoted.
"You have a lovely pure mind," I said.
"Haven't I?
That's why they call me Rinaldo Purissimo."
"Rinaldo Sporchissimo."
"Come on, baby, we'll go down to eat while my mind is still pure."
I washed, combed my hair and we went down the stairs.
Rinaldi was a little drunk.
In the room where we ate, the meal was not quite ready.
"I'll go get the bottle," Rinaldi said.
He went off up the stairs.
I sat at the table and he came back with the bottle and poured us each a half tumbler of cognac.